


Harry Potter and that Goddamned Hat

by NeuroWriter14



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Do not repost, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-02-23 05:43:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23606533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14
Summary: Every student who walks the halls of Hogwarts is sorted at the age of eleven into one of four houses. Those who enter Gryffindor are value bravery. Those who enter Hufflepuff value loyalty. Those who enter Slytherin value ambition and cunning. Those who enter Ravenclaw value knowledge. But what happens when the changing teenagers are re-sorted at the age of 15?
Relationships: Cho Chang/Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 69
Kudos: 510





	1. Chapter 1

Harry stood on the platform in front of the Hogwarts Express. The train promised a great many things including mystery. He stood with his beloved owl, Hedwig perched on his shoulder while chaos reigned around him. James placed a hand on his free shoulder and he turned to look at his father. James smiled down at him, the smile reaching his hazel eyes. Harry nodded slightly as his gaze returned to the crimson train in front of him. The train whistled, indicating its near departure. 

"Come along, Harry. You mustn't miss the train." His mother's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Come darling. I'll meet you there." 

Harry followed his mother's vibrant red hair which stood out against the crowd. James walked next to him. He could feel the eyes of some of the other students as they looked between Harry and his father whom he resembled, except his eyes. His mother nodded slightly to some older students, many of whom blushed at her acknowledgment. Harry twisted his hands together and Hedwig fluttered on his shoulder. They stopped in front of one of the train cars. James turned to look at him before kneeling in front of him.

"Now, no appealing to your mother or uncle to get out of trouble. And no getting into trouble," James's eyes sparkled. He leaned forward as Lily looked elsewhere, evaluating the cars further down. "At least don't get caught. I packed the cloak in your trunk." He pulled away and winked. Harry grinned. James pulled his son in for a tight hug, causing Hedwig to hoot bitterly. James looked at the snowy white owl. "Take care of him." The owl hooted in response. James smiled and stood.

"Harry," Lily turned her attention back to her son. "Just because you are my son doesn't mean you will receive any special treatment."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know, Mom. Can I get on the train now?" Lily's emerald eyes sparkled before she lifted Harry with surprising ease and planted a kiss on his cheek. Harry's face flushed as some other children giggled. "Mom!" He cried.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts," She grinned and set him down.

Harry waved as Lily took James's hand, both of them stepping away from the entrance to the car as Harry stepped into it. He walked down the length of the car until he found an empty place for himself on the platform side. James and Lily had both found themselves outside of his window and he waved slightly before the pair were distracted by another set of parents. Both of them had red hair, as red as his mother's. James and Lily took turns hugging each other pair while a little girl stared at him through the window. A knock on the glass door drew his attention as he looked to find a boy with bright red hair and freckles peeking around the frame. 

"Do you mind? Everywhere else is full."

"Not at all," Harry gestured to the seat across from him. 

The boy entered and sat. He was quiet for a moment as he looked out the window at the chatting quartet just outside. The mother turned and looked in the train's window, noting the redhead with Harry and offering a wave.

"Those your parents?" Harry asked as the boy waved back. He nodded slightly, his ears turning slightly pink. "I'm Harry Potter." He stuck his hand out.

"Ron. Ron Weasley." The boy shook his hand. 

"I guess our parents know each other," Harry said looking out the window. 

"Is it true?" Ron asked suddenly, changing the topic.

"Is what true?" Harry asked as he folded himself into the seat.

"Is your mother a Hogwarts professor?" 

Harry laughed slightly. "Yes. She's the potion's professor. And one of my uncles teaches Ancient Runes. And my godfather teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Ron's eyes widened. "Bad luck, mate." He swallowed. "You won't be able to get away with anything."

The train lurched forward as Harry laughed, feeling the weight of his parents' gazes on his face. 

"I thought I was going to have it bad."

"You?" Harry asked.

"My brothers. Two of them already attended Hogwarts and three are now." 

"What have you heard about the sorting?" Harry asked. "With five older brothers attending they must have told you something."

Ron shook his head. "Nothing."

Harry sighed. "Me either. I keep begging my mom and uncle and even my dad for details and they won't tell me anything."

"Maybe it's a secret. Maybe there's a big ritual to it." Ron mused. 

"Maybe it requires something."

"Maybe it's actually terrifying and they're all too afraid to talk about it."

The pair went back and forth with their guesses, each more ridiculous than the last. The pair dissolved into giggles more than once as another student walked by the glass door only to see their theatrics as they went. The two of them had a pile of snacks between them from the trolley when Harry roared dramatically, imitating a dragon in their newest version of the sorting. Another student walked by, his dark eyes falling on them as Harry bellowed. His eyes met Harry's, who cackled at the pinched look on the boy's face as if he smelled something bad. Shortly after he left, another girl strode by, dramatically opening the door and standing in the doorway. Her head was framed by bushy hair and her face fierce even at the age of eleven.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

"I've seen a chocolate frog," Harry said as he opened the container, letting the frog launch at her before he and Ron dissolved into giggles once again.

The girl yelped as the frog neared but straightened herself immediately to glare at them. "What is so funny anyway?"

Ron grinned. "We were talking about the sorting."

"The sorting?" The girl's curiosity was clearly piqued as she shuffled closer. "What about it?"

"We know nothing about it, that's what." Harry shrugged. 

"Me either." The girl said, turning her eyes down to stare at the floor. "I've read every book about Hogwarts. I know how the enchanted ceiling works, but I don't know how the sorting works. I could tell you all about the founders, but not how they decided to choose students."

Harry nodded. "I don't think anyone knows and those who do won't tell us. What do you think happens?"

"It's probably some kind of test," She said confidently.

"I still think it's a blood sacrifice," Ron grinned.

"I liked the idea of fighting a dragon best."

"A dragon?" The girl demanded which caused Harry to fall into a fit of laughter again. Her surprise momentarily washed away the determination on her face as her brown eyes widened.

He wiped the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand before looking at the girl once more. "I'm Harry, by the way."

"Hermione Granger." She turned to Ron. "And you are?"

"Ron Weasley," He answered around a mouth full of candy.

Her eyes flicked over him. "Pleasure." Her air of determination returned as she closed herself off once again. "You two best change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

She turned to leave, the door almost closed behind her when Harry called out. "It was nice to meet you!"

She froze slightly, only her back visible, before she continued walking.

"She's stuck up," Ron muttered as he stood to pull his robes from his trunk.

"She's Muggleborn," Harry answered as he mirrored Ron.

"How can you tell?"

"My mom's Muggleborn. She said she felt like she always had to try harder than all the other students because of it. Hermione's the same way. Didn't you hear how she read all the books? She feels like she has something to prove. To prove she belongs." Harry shrugged. "She's not stuck up. She's fighting to belong."

Harry and Ron continued idle chatter until the train pulled into the station. The pair exited the train, Harry grabbing the sleeve of Hermione's robe to keep her with the two of them, as they walked toward the largest man Harry had ever seen. The man grinned down at them as other students waved to him. 

"First years! This way please!" He bellowed. 

Harry watched as the older students moved toward a series of carriages that waited until they were full before rolling along the path of their own accord. He smiled slightly as Hagrid, he learned, gestured toward the boats for the first years.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," The half-giant bellowed as they traveled over the lake. "For those who didn't hear, my name is Rubeus Hagrid. I am gamekeeper here at Hogwarts and your care of magical creatures professor." He continued speaking, but Harry was distracted by the massive castle.

Lights flickered in windows in the massive structure as it stretched into the sky in front of him. He felt a smile pull at his lips as the other students around him quieted, only sounds of awe echoing over the lake.

They wound their way through the castle until the first years were stopped in front of a pair of massive doors. They stood in silence, shifting back and forth on their feet as they waited. Within the doors, Harry could hear applause and the roar of approval coming from several mouths. For minutes, the sounds continued until they ceased abruptly. The massive doors swung outward as light at smells accosted Harry's senses. It didn't last long, Harry couldn't see inside the doors, before they closed again. 

A tall woman dressed in flowing emerald robes with a matching pointed hat and a stern look. 

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. In a few moments, you will walk through these doors and be sorted into your houses," The nervous shifting among the first years stopped. "They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin." Harry could see a blond boy nod at the mention of Slytherin. "Now while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn your house points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the House Cup." Her dark blue eyes scanned the crowd of first years. "Now, understand that as you age your values may change and your opinions with them. Therefore, before the start of your fifth year, you will be sorted again. Some may stay in their original houses, but many will switch."

Harry's heart stopped. _Switching?_

But the professor continued, unaware of Harry's internal panic. He already worried about the prospect of being sorted, only now he would be sorted twice. He swallowed thickly as the professor turned and the massive doors opened once again. The group shuffled into the hall. Four long tables stretched from one of the room to the other with banners flying overhead. Harry recognized the house symbols. On his left on the far side was the massive green and silver snake of Slytherin. Next to them and closer to Harry was the blue and bronze eagle of Ravenclaw. On Harry's right was the yellow and black badger of Hufflepuff. On the far right side was the red and gold lion of Gryffindor.

Hundreds of eyes watched them as the group shuffled into the hall, most staring upward at the enchanted ceiling which looked like the night sky.

"Wait along here please," McGonagall said as she stepped a set of two steps where a chair sat in front of the massive professor's table. 

The students lined up as Harry looked toward the table. He first found his mother, who's emerald eyes sparkled as she looked at him, waving her hand slightly. He smiled, hoping it didn't look like a grimace. Next to her was his godfather. Harry had always thought the man looked rather bat-like with his long nose, dark hair, and flowing robes. Severus Snape's black eyes turned to Harry and his head inclined ever so slightly. His eyes continued to scan the professor's table until he found a pair of amber eyes smiling at him from behind a series of scars. Remus raised a glass to Harry before taking a drink.

McGonagall cleared her throat, silencing the hall immediately.

"When I call your name, come forth. You will sit on the stool and I will place the hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." The room seemed charged with energy as the professor unrolled the parchment within her grasp. "Hannah Abbott!"

A blonde girl pealed herself from the crowd of first years. Harry could see the tension in her face as she leapt up to the stool, watching the dirty, battered hat fall onto her head. There was silence for a moment before the hat twitched. 

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table to Harry's right cheered as Hannah let out a sigh of relief. She jumped from the chair, her plain robes changing until the Hufflepuff crest sat firmly on her robe, matching her yellow and black tie.

"Susan Bones!" Another girl removed herself from the crowd.

The hat fell onto her head for a moment before a cry echoed through the hall. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

On either side of him, Ron and Hermione shifted.

"Terry Boot!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Lavender Brown!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Millicent Bulstrode!"

Hermione shifted as the girl passed her, their shoulders colliding. Harry glared as she stepped to the chair.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Vincent Crabbe!"

A pause. "SLYTHERIN!"

Harry began to tune out the names being called, watching only faces and listening to the reactions as houses were called into the silence.

"Hermione Granger!"

Harry smiled reassuringly as she glanced at him before stepping up to the chair. The hat sat on her head, seeming to debate for a moment, as Hermione's face grew sterner.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Gregory Goyle!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Neville Longbottom!"

Harry watched as the hat's face, if he could call it that, twitched in thought. Seconds became minutes as the hall sat in silence. Harry thought he might go crazy as the boy's face turned ever more nervous under the hat's dirty rim. 

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Draco Malfoy!"

The hat barely touched the boy's bright blond, nearly white, hair before it called Slytherin into the room. The boy smirked as he removed himself from the chair, his robes changing as he strode.

"My dad works at the Ministry. So does his. He complains about him a lot."

"So does my dad. And my uncle. They're both aurors."

"Harry Potter!"

Some of the other students started to whisper behind him as he walked toward the chair. But he couldn't hear anything except his own heart. The hat settled onto his head and for a moment, there was silence.

 _"Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, and not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. You would do well in Slytherin. You would be great. But you are also incredibly brave and selfless. Traits more fitting for Gryffindor."_ Harry felt his heart pound. _"Very well."_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry let out the breath he was holding as he walked toward the Gryffindor table. The house cheered loudly and Hermione greeted him with a smile.

"Tom Riddle!"

Harry watched as the boy with the dark eyes strode toward the stool, his head held high. The boy turned with surprising grace and sat on the stool. The hat barely touched him before it screamed Slytherin. The boy barely acknowledged the house as he walked toward it. Harry's eyes were glued to the boy as he sat at the table, dark eyes meeting his. 

"Ron Weasley!"

Harry's attention was caught by Ron's name. Ron walked toward the stool, his face nearly the color of his hair.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Ron let out a sigh of relief as he practically ran toward the Gryffindor table, only to be accosted by others with the same bright red hair. Harry listened as Ron's brothers, Fred and George, teased their little brother before turning their attention to Harry to introduce themselves.

As the sorting ended, the headmaster stood and welcomed them. Harry met his mother's eyes. She winked and nodded before a feast appeared in front of him. He watched as his uncle walked over toward Lily and leaned next to her, to whisper something in her before Harry found himself distracted by the treacle tart. He could feel his eyes widen as a laugh echoed from the professor's table. Three sets of eyes focused on him as he slowly picked up the tart and ate it. Remus laughed.

"So you'll be taking classes with your mother?" Fred asked as he aimed a piece of food at another redhead. "I'm so sorry."

Harry laughed and the conversation changed. But Harry felt the weight of dark eyes on him throughout the night.

* * *

The professors gathered after the students settled into their houses for the night. They knew it was unlikely the students, especially the first years, were not asleep yet, but they were within their houses and it was after hours. They had met in a room adjacent to the Headmaster's office, each of them buzzing with their own thoughts.

McGonagall set four jars in front of them, each of them labeled with the names of the houses. The other professors silenced as they looked to the deputy headmistress. 

"Switches? Stays?" She asked as a few of the other professors shook their heads at her conciseness. "Who will start?"

"I will," Remus stepped forward and picked up the name Neville Longbottom, currently colored in red and gold. He dropped the name into the Gryffindor jar with a smirk. "Neville Longbottom. Stay."

"I doubt that," Severus muttered behind him. 

McGonagall cleared her throat to stop the good-natured argument that was about to start between Remus and Severus. 

"I'm next." Flitwick stepped forward and grabbed Hannah Abbott's name before dropping it into the Hufflepuff jar. "Hannah Abbott. Stay."

Severus followed, picking up Gregory Goyle's name. "Stay."

Hagrid lumbered forward, picking up Vincent Crabbe's name. "Stay."

They continued through the professors, all choosing stays until there were a few names left. There were some students that obviously stayed, and those were always taken first. There were a few students left, among them, Lily Potter's son Harry. 

"Lily?" Remus asked. "Do you think Harry's a switch or stay?"

Lily smiled slightly. "James was a stay. But I switched."

"He won't switch to Ravenclaw as you did, Lily," Remus said quietly.

"Or you." Lily reminded.

Severus cleared his throat before reaching for Harry Potter's name in red and gold. He turned the paper in his hand before dropping it with a flutter into the Slytherin jar.

Lily smiled slightly before picking up Draco Malfoy's name and dropping it into another jar.

Once the names were finished, the professors left, each taking their own bets on the switches and stays as they returned to their chambers.

"So," Remus asked as he walked next to Lily and Severus. "Harry a Slytherin."

Severus hummed. "Do trust me."

Lily was silent as the two bickered over her before she let out a breath. "What about that boy, Tom Riddle?"

"There's something off with that one," Remus said quietly. 

"We'll watch him."

"He was watching Harry," Her voice was soft. "All night." Lily's mind drifted to the boy with curly brown hair and dark eyes, who's focused on Harry from the moment he was sorted. 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry stepped through the portrait's entrance and into the Gryffindor common room. The room was littered with red, from the furniture to the walls to the portraits. A massive portrait of Godric Gryffindor sat above the fireplace, his amber eyes gazing down into the common room. He seemed bored and after a moment, the massive portrait emptied. A fire crackled in the fireplace, making the scarlet in the room flicker through various shades of red. Massive windows overlooked the Black Lake and the castle, both of which were eerily dark. Several portraits lined the walls, with heads of Gryffindor house adorning their frames. 

"Welcome to Gryffindor house," Percy, Ron's older brother, called into the crowd of mostly first years, with some awed fifth years among them. "Our house values courage, determination, bravery, daring, chivalry, and nerve. Outsiders see us as self-righteous and arrogant with little regard for the rules." Percy smirked. "Often people don't leave Gryffindor house, we are the house with the most stays," He gestured to the fifth years, "And the most switches come to us. I am one of your Prefects. There are four prefects to every house. The other two are the house's head boy and head girl. Prefects are chosen after your fifth year sorting and head boy and head girl are chosen in your sixth or seventh year." Percy's eyes scanned over his small group. "Any questions?"

Silence answered him.

"Very well. Girls' dormitory is up the stairs to the right and boys to the left. You'll find your belongs have already been brought up. First years, you may leave for your dormitories. Fifth years, stay with me."

Harry moved with the group as they began to split, each heading toward their respective set of stairs. He turned to Hermione, who waited at the bottom of the girls' stairs. Her brown eyes lifted to his momentarily and he paused, waiting for her to speak.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked quietly. "You don't know me."

"Do I have to know you to be nice to you?" Harry asked before following Ron up the stairs.

* * *

The wall slid open, stone by stone. Tom watched with fascination as the small crowd stepped into the Slytherin common room. He ignored the two lumbering oafs following behind the blond at his side. The other boy had blathered on about something or another for the entire journey from the Great Hall. The word Tom caught the most was "father." He had learned to ignore other children, growing up in the orphanage. He had never known his father, and his mother had died shortly after he was born. The other children rambled on endlessly, mostly about the prospect of adoption and whatever new thing fascinated them that day. Tom knew he would never be adopted. The couples who came were always very wary around him. 

_"It's his eyes," One woman said to the matron. "He watches too much. It's terrifying." They hadn't left the room when they told him, at five, that he would not be given a loving home. "And the way he talks-" The woman cut herself off before looking at Tom and then back to the matron. "Not him."_

Tom watched as the Slytherin prefect turned, his school robes flowing with the movement.

"Welcome to Slytherin house." The boy's brown eyes jumped from person to person. "We are a proud house, knowing for valuing cunning, ambition, resourcefulness, and self-preservation." The prefect's eyes fell on Tom. "Know this. While our house values fraternity, we will not hesitate to leave those who dishonor us, in the dust. We expect more from our students than other houses. Hufflepuff expects loyalty. Ravenclaw expects intelligence. And who knows what Gryffindor expects from its students." The prefect waved his hand flippantly as a former Gryffindor fifth year shifted behind them. "But we expect all that and more. We demand nothing but excellence from our students. Should you fail, the consequences will be, severe."

Before Tom could feel anything as a result of the speech, another student, likely a sixth year, strode to the group and wrapped his arm around the prefect's shoulder.

"Don't listen to him," The other boy grinned. "He's just trying to scare you." The other boy reached over and picked the badge off the boy's chest and pinned it on his own. "I am your prefect. Or rather one of them. He," He waved his hand toward the retreating boy's back, "Is your head boy. Your prefects are chosen after the sorting in your fifth year. And while he was rather dramatic about his statement, he is correct. We do demand much from our students. But we will not leave you on your own. But you must use your resourcefulness to prove you're a Slytherin, and earn our respect."

He gestured behind him. "The girls' dormitory is down the stairs on the right. The boys on the left." He gestured to the window, which looked into the water of the Black Lake, making the already emerald Slytherin common room even greener from the moonlight in the water. A fire burned in the fireplace, with the portrait of Salazar Slytherin watching the newcomers. "Also be wary, the giant squid likes to look in the window. It's a bit terrifying now and then."

But Tom didn't hear the end of the prefect's speech. Instead, his eyes were locked with that of Salazar Slytherin. In his portrait, the man wore an emerald locked with a serpentine 'S' on its face. On his hand was a ring with a black gem. He knew the locket and gem. He could see the distinct crest in the ring, a crest he had seen on the ring he wore on his own hand. The locket hung around his neck, and it was as though the portrait of Slytherin could see the locket under his robes. 

"Now, first years," The prefect said, forcing Tom's attention back to him, "Off to bed. Fifth years, stay. We have much to discuss."

Tom moved mechanically after the blond boy at his side, down a set of spiraling stone stairs, and into a room with his, and the other first years' names, on the door. 

The blond turned to him expectantly, his grey eyes pinning him to the spot.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Your name?" The boy demanded. 

"And why should that matter to you?" 

"As I said, I am Draco Malfoy. My father works with the Minister!"

"Your father?" Tom asked, moving closer to the Malfoy boy, his grey eyes widening. "Your father works with the Minister. But not you. So, why should I care who you are?" Draco opened his mouth but Tom continued. "Did you earn a place in the Ministry? Did you work your way to the right hand of the Minister? No. Your father did. Why should I care about you?"

Draco swallowed slightly, their faces close together, before he smiled. "I knew I liked you." Tom cocked his head. "Better than this lot." He waved his hands toward the two lumbering boys who were watching the interaction as though it was their favorite play. Draco smirked and held his hand out.

Tom waited for a moment, waiting for a trick like the crueler boys at the orphanage. But Draco waited patiently. He decided there was no trick, taking the Malfoy boy's hand in his own. 

"Tom. Tom Riddle."

* * *

Classes started on a Monday, with Defense Against the Dark Arts first. The Slytherin and Gryffindor first years were paired together for the class. Harry walked with Ron and Hermione flanking him, the two of them bickering about something since breakfast. They had arrived at Hogwarts on a Friday, giving them ample time to explore the castle and find their classes. Harry's friends seemed to tolerate each other, finding any excuse to bicker, but it seemed good-natured. The three of them walked down the corridor to the classroom and inside the wooden doors. 

Light entered the room from the massive windows on either side. Stone pillars stood between them, leading to a wall made of stone with various portraits and chalkboard. Behind the board was a stone staircase which led to a smaller wooden door. Harry assumed the door lead to Severus's office and rooms. Tables were lined along the room in rows, facing the board at the front. Each table could seat three comfortably, with Harry hanging off the edge as Ron on the other side and Hermione in the middle. At the table next to them, Draco Malfoy sat with the boy with the dark eyes, Tom, and another Slytherin, a girl.

Draco Malfoy turned, his grey eyes first falling on Harry and then past him to Ron. His eyes lit up with a terrible light before returning to Harry.

"I hear we share a godfather." Harry looked over the blond. His hair was nearly white in color, making his grey eyes even more dramatic. His nose was straight, likely from the years he spent looking down it. 

"I hear the same," Harry answered.

"Shame only one of us will make him proud."

Harry turned with a retort, only to meet those dark eyes once again. Now that he was closer, he could see Tom Riddle's eyes were a deep blue, like pools on a dark night. His eyes flicked back and forth between Harry and Draco before he leaned and whispered in Draco's ear, taking the blond's attention away from him.

With the moment lost, Harry turned back toward Ron and Hermione, both of whom had questions on their faces.

"Snape, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, is my godfather. He and my mother knew each other growing up. But he also met some new friends during his years at Hogwarts, one of them leading him to meet Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. They named him Draco's godfather too. Draco and I grew up skirting each other for years. We only came face to face for the first time last night."

_During his exploration of Hogwarts, Harry and Draco finally met near the potion's classroom after he visited his mother. They were both alone, evaluating each other as they circled._

_"So, you're Harry Potter."_

_"And you're Draco Malfoy."_

_Draco's grey eyes evaluated him, taking in his skinny form, his wild hair, and emerald eyes hidden behind round glasses._

_"You know we can't get along," Draco said quietly._

_"I know," Harry muttered._

_James hated Lucius and Lucius hated James just as much. As a result, Harry and Draco avoided each other to keep the peace, neither wishing to start a war between the two heads of houses._

_"I've heard you like Quidditch."_

_Harry nodded. "I've heard the same about you."_

_"Perhaps we'll meet on the pitch."_

_"Perhaps we will."_

Severus stepped through the door to his office, standing at the top of the stairs and looking down into the classroom. The students quieted one by one, their eyes finding the professor.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts."


	3. Chapter 3

Harry stretched in the sun. The Gryffindor and Slytherin houses were paired together, as they tended to be, for their flying lesson. Harry had grown up with lessons and stories of Quidditch. Harry's father and uncle both loved Quidditch, though James had been the only one on the team. Sirius, however, loved to wreak havoc and once stole the Golden Snitch for his and James's entertainment. Harry suspected his father and uncle both wanted him to find his way to the Gryffindor team, both certain of Harry's inherent Quidditch ability. Harry pulled off his robe and folded it neatly next to him and loosened his tie. The Gryffindors stood in a line across from the Slytherins with Harry and Draco directly across from one another. Between them were lines of brooms, one for each student. Draco watched with mild curiosity in his grey eyes as Harry rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up to his elbows.

"Expecting a fight, Potter?" Draco asked.

"It's sunny and hot," Harry muttered. "I don't quite feel like spontaneously combusting in my robes." He smirked as Draco blinked, trying to follow Harry's thoughts. 

A whistle echoed through the air as Harry shoved his hands into his pockets. The flying instructor, Madam Hooch, strolled through the grass next to the castle. Her cat-like eyes roamed over each student before she stopped in front of Harry. He met her eyes evenly before she continued walking. 

"Welcome to your first flying lesson." Madam Hooch turned and placed her hands on her hips. "Well? What are you waiting for? Step up to the right side of your brooms, put your hand over it, and say 'up.'"

The students obeyed, each of them moving to the right side of their brooms. Harry and Draco spoke at the same time, their brooms flying upward in tandem to their outstretched hands. Draco smirked but before Harry could form any response, Ron's broom shot upward at an angle, smacking him in the nose. Harry laughed as Ron massaged his nose, before muttering for Harry to shut up, but he grinned the whole time. On Harry's other side, Hermione struggled, the broom dancing under her hand like a snake trying to slither away. Harry reached over with his free hand touched her wrist gently.

"Take a breath and then say it."

Hermione didn't answer, but instead dropped her hand and took a deep breath before letting out slowly. She raised her hand once more and focused on the broom.

"Up!" The broom flew into her hand and she grinned. 

Once everyone had their brooms, Madam Hooch continued with her instructions until everyone was hovering in the air. Hermione's face turned green as she stared at the equally colored grass below her.

"I don't like flying," She muttered bitterly as Harry moved closer.

On the Slytherin side, Tom Riddle seemed to be sharing a similar experience as he hovered, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his broom. Draco, however, seemed to be having the time of his life as he moved this way and that atop his broom. He looked as calm as Harry felt, drifting toward and away from his friends. He flew circles around Tom, making the other glare at him.

"Don't like flying, Riddle?"

"Flying sounds amazing," Tom answered, "But hovering in the air with only a little stick to keep you from plummeting to your death doesn't inspire confidence." 

Draco laughed before he circled closer to Harry, who wasn't even bothering to hold onto his broom. 

"Show off."

Others had drifted this way and that, leaving Harry and Draco mostly isolated.

"If I were showing off, I would be hanging upside down over your head."

"You can do that?"

Harry smirked. 

Madam Hooch continued to lecture below them before a student, Neville Longbottom, lost control of his broom. He fell before anyone could catch him and a sickly crunching sound echoed over the field. Hooch ran forward as others landed around him. She lifted him slightly examining his wrist which was bent at an awkward angle. 

"Oh dear," She muttered as she helped him to his feet. "It's a broken wrist." 

Neville sniffled slightly as he stood. "I'm-I'm ok." He tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace. 

The corner of Hooch's mouth twitched. "Brave, but a broken wrist is a broken wrist." Her eyes scanned the crowd around him. "No one moves while I take Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing. Keep your feet firmly on the ground. Anyone who disobeys will be out of Hogwarts faster than you can say Quidditch." 

She marched with Neville toward the castle while he looked over his shoulder and attempted another smile. As they disappeared from view, Draco knelt in the grass. He picked up an object, a Remembrall which Neville's grandmother had sent that morning, in the grass. The smoke inside churned but stayed white. 

Harry could see the thoughts turning in Draco's mind as his eyes flitted upward. A smirk crossed his face briefly.

"Give it here, Malfoy."

Draco tossed it and caught it quickly before mounting his broom. "I think not. Perhaps I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." He winked before mounting his broom and shooting upward.

"Harry, don't," Hermione warned and he moved to follow.

"I'll be fine. Be down in a moment." 

He flew after Draco who hovered in the air, tossing the Remembrall to himself. 

"Do you have to be a git?" Harry asked as he leveled his broom.

"No," Draco answered. "It's just more fun." Harry rolled his eyes. Draco's eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. "Fetch!"

Harry didn't have time to marvel at the strength of Draco's arm as he tossed the ball and shot toward the ground. Harry flew after it, catching it just in time to spin to a stop before crashing through a window in the castle. He let out a huff as he glared at Draco below him. He flew back toward the crowd on the ground his mind churning with a million things to say to the Malfoy heir. His feet hit the ground and he opened his mouth but the voice that echoed was not his.

"Harry Potter!"

The crowd in front of him turned slowly to see Minerva McGonagall standing in the same entrance Madam Hooch had disappeared into. Harry dropped the ball into Hermione's hand as he passed and handed his broom to Ron on the other side. Ron looked at him with sympathy as he walked toward McGonagall and followed her into the castle. 

"Just like your father," The professor muttered as she continued through the castle, her emerald robes billowing behind her. 

Harry was tempted to say something but decided it was best to keep quiet. He expected they were headed to the Headmaster's office, but instead they maneuvered toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Harry peeked around McGonagall, making eye contact with the Severus standing at the front of the room. His dark eyes looked back and forth between Harry and McGonagall before she spoke.

"Might I borrow Oliver Wood for a moment?" She asked. 

Severus raised an eyebrow before his eyes landed on a student in the middle of the classroom. He jerked his head slightly and the student stood, rushing from the classroom. 

"Mr. Potter, this is Oliver Wood. He's the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." The pair shook hands in greeting. "Mr. Wood, I believe I have found you a Seeker."

Wood's eyes widened in excitement.

* * *

Ron and Hermione shuffled with the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins back into the castle before the Slytherin group broke off, heading in one direction while the Gryffindors moved in another. Draco smirked over his shoulder as he leaned toward Riddle next to him, whispering something that the other didn't react to. Ron's blood boiled. 

He had two friends in Hogwarts and one of them was probably going to be expelled because of the blond-haired Slytherin. Hermione spoke next to him, bringing his attention to her. 

"What?" He asked, focusing on her bushy hair which bounced with every step.

She grabbed his chin and turned it. Ron's eyes followed the movement until he landed on Harry moving through the crowd, his emerald eyes gleaming. 

"My godfather is never going to forgive me," He said as he stopped in front of them. 

"Which one?" Ron asked, completely forgetting about his spike of anger.

"You're not expelled are you?" Hermione asked, sincere concern in her voice. 

Harry grinned. "You can't get rid of me that easily." 

Ron heard Hermione let out a breath before Harry turned and wrapped each of them in an arm. He pulled them through the castle telling them about McGonagall interrupting Snape's class to ask for a student. Ron vaguely remembered that Oliver Wood was the captain of the Quidditch team. Both Fred and George were on the team as beaters. Charlie had also been on the team as a Seeker and later captain before he graduated, leaving the position to Oliver, the team's keeper. Harry told them how McGonagall had offered him as the team's newest Seeker, the youngest in a century. 

Hermione muttered something about how expulsion would be terrible, a fate worse than death, before Ron found himself face to face with his twin brothers. 

"Well done, Harry!" One said.

"Wood's just told us." 

"Thank you, Fred. George." He looked from one to the other.

"It's our job to make sure you don't get bloodied up too bad." 

"No one's died in a while, though they will vanish occasionally."

"But they're turn up in a month or two!"

The pair grinned before walking past the trio.

"They're cheerful," Harry noted. 

"Ignore them." 

"I'm going to the library," Hermione announced before anyone else could speak. 

"Library? But it's our free period." Ron waved his hand toward the number of students heading toward the lake. 

"Well one of us has to learn about Quidditch!" She declared before turning on her heel and pushing her way through the crowd. 

"Do you think I should have told her that I know all about Quidditch?" Harry asked. 

Ron shrugged.

* * *

Classes flew by during their first week, with Harry having been announced as the new Gryffindor Seeker. Draco rolled his eyes the moment the gossip found its way to his ears. He was hoping to be the first between the two of them to make the Quidditch team. Somehow, the news made it to the office of Lucius Malfoy who sent a chiding letter to Draco over the weekend. 

Draco's internal rage stirred. He didn't want to be like his father, his father was a horrible person. He manipulated people and made others feel worthless, Draco included. Lucius hated James Potter with a passion and was determined to hate his son with the same vigor. He expected nothing less out of Draco himself, but Draco didn't want to be that person. His life, so far, had been determined by his father and the person his father wanted him to be. His friends were the sons of his father's longtime friends. His house was the same house his father had been in. Draco had often listened to his father rambling on about house purity. 

"Switching is nonsense." He would say. "What does it say of a person that they can't stay loyal to one place as a child? What kind of adult would they be?" Draco would never answer, knowing Lucius would answer himself. "A disloyal one! That's what."

His humiliation continued as Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor Muggleborn, surpassed him in grades. Draco had always been intelligent, he knew this but now his grades were third-best in his classes. Hermione Granger was first and Tom Riddle the second. Draco could handle being second to Tom, a Slytherin half-blood. But his father would never forgive him for being bested by a Muggleborn. 

Harry didn't help matters much. The Gryffindor team dominated on the Quidditch pitch, with Harry catching the snitch game after game. Draco desperately wanted to be out there with them, opposing Seekers maybe. He wanted that feeling of being free and flying. He wanted the rush of competition. He knew Harry didn't mean to make him feel bad. He knew he wasn't a bad person. He was the friend Draco had longed for but was too afraid of his father to have.

Draco's rage culminated just before winter break.

Crabbe and Goyle had found someone to pick on for their entertainment, leaving Draco alone with Tom as they studied. Harry, Granger, and Weasley passed the table, the three of them speaking in hushed tones when Hermione's bag caught on the book at the corner of the table. They spilled onto the floor, making Granger's face turn as red as Weasley's hair. 

"I'm sorry," She muttered as she bent down to pick up the books, her friends turning to help.

"Just leave it," Draco said bitterly. 

She continued to gather the stack of books but Draco couldn't handle it. She was being nice, too nice, and everything in him wanted to explode.

"I said just leave it you filthy little Mudblood!" 

He regretted the word the moment it slipped from his mouth. Confusion showed on Granger's face, but rage shown on Harry's. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her behind him, leaving the book still on the floor.

"What did you say?" Harry's voice was like ice and his eyes as hard as rocks. 

Draco stood slowly meeting not only Harry's rage but Weasley's as he twirled his wand in his hand. Behind him, Tom sat, watching. 

"What. Did. You. Say?" Harry asked again, emphasizing every word in the question. 

"I'm-" His voice failed him as his anger disappeared and shame took its place. "I didn't-" He tried to explain but his voice gave out every time as he felt the waves of rage radiating from Harry.

Behind him, Hermione gripped his arm, attempting to pull Harry away before he did something he would regret. She managed to pull both him and Weasley away, both of them seething.

Draco collapsed into his chair and let his head fall on the table with a loud thunk.

"I'm an idiot."


	4. Chapter 4

Draco sighed as Lucius paced in front of him, ranting about something that Draco long since stopped paying attention to. He assumed it was something along the lines of his failure to uphold the Malfoy name during his first semester at Hogwarts. Narcissa had left the room before Lucius ever started ranting and was likely glaring daggers at her husband from the kitchen. When it came to the Pureblood mania that went through most Pureblood families, Narcissa rarely commented one way or another. The Blacks were vehement in their beliefs, as were the Malfoys, but it seemed as though Narcissa didn't believe one way or another. That angered Draco as much as his father's commentary. 

Instead of listening to his father, he thought back to the days before Winter Break. He thought about his slip in the library and what had led him to that point. He thought about all the things he had been told in his life and how very different it was once he entered Hogwarts. He had been told things about Muggleborns and other purebloods, about half-bloods, and the world that didn't quite fit into the world he saw. Lucius was incredibly set in his ways, but even at eleven, Draco could tell those ways weren't right. And it hurt him. 

It hurt him to find that everything he had been taught didn't quite fit with his thoughts now. He was confused and tired and he wanted a second and a third opinion. He remembered his father coming home and sneering at Arthur Weasley. He hated the family for reasons Draco didn't quite understand.

Blood traitors, his father called them. But what was so wrong about not hating people who were different?

He was too lost in thought to realize his father had stopped ranting and now was glaring at him. Draco's mind ran a million gauntlets to try to piece together what he had been told and what he experienced, but it was like he had a jigsaw puzzle and a riddle and was trying to piece them together. The parts didn't fit. Lucius, however, wasn't having Draco's internal struggle. Draco suddenly felt a sharp pain on the side of his head and his eyes rattled in their sockets. His mind returned to the present and along with it the sensation of pain. Lucius's unneeded cane was stretched outward, the serpent pommel near Draco's head. His eye watered without his consent as he tried to understand what had happened.

"You will pay attention when I am speaking, Draco." Lucius's voice sounded like ice.

"Yes, Father," Draco answered, biting back the bitterness that surged through him.

Lucius continued to lecture before a message interrupted his tirade. Draco barely noticed as he sneered and then left the manor, leaving Draco alone with his mother.

He stood from his chair, his body stiff from sitting in the same position. Narcissa's eyes met his but she said nothing. Draco often wondered if his mother's marriage with his father had done more harm than good.

For the next few days, Draco had learned to avoid his father who was growing ever more hateful. He lashed out in tirades against Arthur Weasley, James Potter, Sirius Black, and everything else that irked him in one way or another. Privately, Narcissa confided in him that the auror's office was conducting an investigation into Lucius which made him angrier and more paranoid. He lashed out at Draco more and stayed at work longer. Meanwhile, Draco fought with himself.

He thought about the day after his slip, when he sought out Hermione to apologize. He thought about Harry's rage and the way he started looking at him after that day in the library. He thought about all the things he wanted to be and all the things he was. He thought about the fact that he used his father's rank on the first day to try to gain credibility. Tom's words echoed in his head. 

_Your father works with the Minister. But not you. So, why should I care who you are? Did you earn a place in the Ministry? Did you work your way to the right hand of the Minister? No. Your father did. Why should I care about you?_

It was a good question. Why should anyone care about him? Who was Draco Malfoy?

* * *

Tom strolled the mostly empty castle. Outside, snow fell softly giving off a distinct smell that he couldn't quite place. The world seemed softer, quieter with snow on the ground. Most years he was crammed into the orphanage with other children but often ignored. The only attention he was paid was when the matron handed out hot chocolate for every child. They would practically drop it on him to avoid contact. The orphanage celebrated Christmas, but that wasn't the old thing in winter for Tom. His birthday was on the 31st. He vaguely remembered his second birthday, wrapped in the arms of his mother as she sang quietly to him. There was no one else besides them.

Tom's father, who he had been named for, never visited. His grandfather and uncle hated his mother and so she was left to raise her child alone. He didn't mind, except when she grew sick. He was almost three when she died and he was taken into the care of the matron of Wool's Orphanage. Every year around the same time, he would see her sad smile and her sorrow-filled eyes. He thought that if he could feel, that memory would cause him pain. But he didn't. He could remember his mother's tears and the way she put her arms around him and the times she sang him to sleep. But he never felt anything. 

That was until he walked along the aisle in the train to Hogwarts and he saw a boy with wild raven hair and wild, playful emerald eyes bellowing loudly with his arms raised in some chaotic position. He didn't know the context, but it spiked an emotion in him.

_Curiosity._

Who was the boy with emerald eyes that fell into a fit of laughter as he watched? He couldn't help the way his eyes followed him during the night, during the sorting and beyond. Who was this one person who made him feel an emotion? Something his own mother could never do. He didn't feel annoyance or anger or love or happiness or sadness. But one bellowing boy had caused him to feel curiosity. 

The same boy, Harry Potter, had gone on to catch the attention of many. His housemate — maybe even friend? — seemed to have a strange relationship with the boy with the emerald eyes. His friends stayed close by his side and Tom watched with fascination as Harry reacted to Draco's slip of the tongue. He watched the elation in Harry's eyes as he flew during Quidditch games. He saw his brilliance in Defense Against the Dark Arts and even the kindness he showed toward the ghosts and outcasts within the castle. 

And then winter had come and most left for home.

Home.

Another strange word to him. He supposed the place he lived with his mother was home, certainly, the orphanage was not. Or maybe Hogwarts, the place he had known for only a few months but felt more like himself in than any other place. 

Tom leaned against the archway entrance to the castle. It was quiet and peaceful, something he couldn't quite understand. He knew that he favored quiet, but what was peace?

He folded his arms and continued to watch the snowfall. Christmas was the following day and after that his birthday and the new year. But mostly he thought about his studies. He thought about the papers he would need to write and the spells he should practice and the exams that were looming in the distance. Part of him, always rebellious, thought about Harry Potter. He felt a burning need to be closer to him because Harry could make him _feel._

He shook himself and rubbed a hand over his eyes. Among the pile of questions he had was those about some of the professors. He knew Lily Potter was Harry's mother and therefore she watched out for her child. But also the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who seemed to watch Harry with the same vigor. He vaguely remembered Draco mentioning that he and Harry shared a godfather. Perhaps that shared godfather was Severus Snape. 

Tom put his questions aside and let his arms fall to his sides. There were things he should do and dwelling over Harry was not one of them.

 _Or was it?_ The rebellious part of him whispered.

* * *

Harry practically fell out of his chair at the sound of the rapping on the door. His parents were both in different rooms and he had been half asleep with a ginger cat firmly on his lap. At the sound of the noise, he jumped causing the cat to stand and grumble.

"I know, I know." He plucked the cat from his stomach and stood, stretching as he did. "I'll get it!" He called to his parents as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and moved toward the door. It was midafternoon but cold. A fire crackled in the fireplace which the cat happily moved toward and immediately flopped on her back, her belly absorbing the heat from the fire.

Harry felt a smile pull at his lips as he walked toward the door. He didn't know who was visiting the Potters. Maybe it was one of his uncles or his godfather dropping by. He and his friends often exchanged letters and neither of them had mentioned a visit. 

He stretched his neck as he grabbed for the door handle and braced himself for the cold about to hit him.

He should have braced himself for more.

The first thing he noticed when he opened the door was a head of blond hair. Next, he noticed a pair of bloodshot grey eyes, and from there, a bag at Draco's feet. 

"Who is it?" James asked as he neared Harry, who was frozen at the door in shock.

Draco's eyes moved back and forth between Harry and James.

"Can I come in? I-" His voice cut off. "I didn't know where else to go."


	5. Chapter 5

Draco's eyes darted over the whole of the Potter's kitchen while he thumbed the mug holding his untouched hot chocolate. Harry watched him and couldn't help but wonder what the other was thinking. Both the Malfoys and the Potters didn't go wanting, but the Potters didn't own a manor like the Malfoys. It was a simple house with two stories, four bedrooms, and a large living space. Part of Harry wondered if Draco felt cramped compared to the manor and Hogwarts and another part of Harry didn't care. The tension between the two of them was palpable and could have easily been cut with a butter knife. 

"Why did you come here?" Harry asked, finally breaking the silence. 

"Do your parents know where you are?" Lily asked.

Draco sighed. "It's hard to explain," He chose his words precisely, Harry could see the gears turning as he tried to find the right words. "My father has grown increasingly mad. He's been angrier and angrier by the day, shouting and pacing around the house like a caged animal. And," Draco paused.

"And?" Harry urged.

"And I don't quite see the world the way he does anymore." 

The tension between Harry and Draco popped like a balloon. 

"Why did you come _here?_ " Harry asked. "You could have gone to Severus because he's your godfather or even Sirius because he's your cousin. Why here?"

"I wasn't sure Severus would understand and I didn't think about Sirius." Draco rubbed the back of his head. "I just thought about how angry you were at me and how even a couple months at Hogwarts changed the way I thought about things." Draco sighed. "My family has been imbued with the Slytherin traditions for as long as anyone can remember both the good and the bad. My father is firmly against anyone who isn't born to magical parents attending Hogwarts." His eyes flicked to Lily and he winced. "He once said I should have gone to Beauxbatons instead." He shook his head. "I saw you for the first time and you were so different than the others raised around pureblood families. You seemed more relaxed, open. I was jealous. And then you became friends with Hermione and," His voice fell. "I wanted to be your friend too. But I'm having problems fitting the world I was raised into with the world I've seen."

James let his hand fall to the table with a thump, drawing the boys' attention to him. 

"Sirius had a similar problem." He pushed from his chair and went into another room before returning with a book and opening it to reveal the young face of Sirius Black grinning up at them, arm in arm with James Potter. "The Blacks have been Slytherins for as long as anyone could remember too. His parents were all about the pureblood mania. Anyone who wasn't a pureblood was less and Merlin forbid you were Muggleborn." James paused. "Or a squib." He turned the book so Draco could see it better. "My parents didn't care. Magic is magic and those who have it have it. It was another characteristic of a person, not their whole personality." His mouth quirked up slightly. "No doubt you know Arthur Weasley has a similar mindset. He loves Muggle objects." He shook his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "Sirius was the first in his family to be sorted into Gryffindor. They took that as a slight in and of itself. His little brother was a Slytherin. When Sirius was 16 he ran away from home too. He came to my parent's house." James's hazel eyes flicked to Draco. "I suppose you have him beat by a few years."

"What happened with Sirius and his family after he ran away?" Draco asked.

James's face fell slightly. "They disowned him." Then he smirked. "Ironic because after his parents died their property went to Sirius. Regulus wanted nothing to do with it. I don't think he's stepped foot in this hemisphere in years." He waved his hand flippantly. "He's a curse-breaker now. Like the Weasley's oldest. He's been in Egypt for years. I think he works closely with Uagadou."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Another school for magic in Africa. I don't know where exactly." He shook his head. "The point is. You are not your family." He looked at Draco. "Don't let them force you to be anyone other than yourself."

Another knock at the door drew their attention and James went to answer it, leaving Draco, Harry, and Lily in the kitchen. 

"Who do you want to be, Draco?" Harry asked quietly.

Draco blinked at the table. "I don't even know who I am."

James returned then, Narcissa Malfoy in tow. "Your mother." 

"May we use your sitting room?" Narcissa asked. James nodded and she gestured for Draco to follow her.

James and Lily had a silent exchange and they left for their room upstairs, leaving Harry alone in the kitchen.

The kitchen was an odd place. Depending on where he stood, Harry could hear any conversation in the house. He switched chairs, listening half to the muffled conversation in his parent's room and half to the other muffled conversation in the sitting room. 

"He's eleven."

"And? Did you only question yourself and your beliefs when you were older?"

"What were you thinking Draco?"

"You know what Father's like."

"-give him a chance."

"Your father is under inquiry. Of course, he's upset."

"I'm investigating his father, having him here complicates things."

"Would you rather him stay with the Malfoys?"

"You're just like Sirius Black."

"Good."

"You and I both know children can change and learn from outside influences. Look at Sirius. Look at Severus."

"Severus called you a mudblood."

"And Severus learned from his mistake. Just as you learned from yours. Why not give Draco the same opportunity?"

"I don't want to be like Father. He only cares about what makes him look better."

"Your father is trying his best."

"No, he isn't."

"You are a child."

"Letting him stay with the Malfoys could be more detrimental than interceding on his behalf."

"It would look like I have a vendetta against Lucius."

"I didn't say he had to stay here."

Harry sipped his drink as he listened.

* * *

When Harry and Draco returned from Winter Break, there was a palpable change to their dynamic. They were as competitive as ever, but the competition was friendlier. Draco seemed to shy away from his friendship with Crabbe and Goyle, but the two were glued to him as if they were joined making it impossible to leave them behind. Tom, however, was different. It was as though he was an outside observer, watching the actions of caged animals. He first noticed the change in Draco when he leaned over during one of the many classes shared between Gryffindor and Slytherin to talk to Hermione. 

Hermione was shier when it came to her interactions with Draco, the two of them dancing around each other as though they were afraid to step on each other's feet. Draco watched his every word around everyone, offering mostly clipped one-word phrases to Crabbe and Goyle, but more to Tom than anyone. The blond dragged him everywhere. While he didn't see the fun in Quidditch, Draco dragged him to games to watch every team play and would demand he was in the stands for every game. During games that involved Gryffindor, Harry hovered above his head, looking incredibly at home on a broom.

He watched a rather intense game between Gryffindor and Slytherin where in the end the game was won by Harry flipping himself upside down on the broom and snatching the snitch from the opposing seeker's hand. More and more classes went on, filled by games or the random excitement of a prank by the Weasley twins. 

In the downtime, when Draco would leave him be and he wasn't other preoccupied with classes, he researched his family. There were rumors spread downward through generations about his family's heritage. He remembered once, a long-ago blurry memory, of their relationship to Salazar Slytherin. He knew his mother was a witch, though years of inbreeding and abuse had decreased her ability to perform magic. She could make potions and perform small tasks, but her son's magic far surpassed hers. A one-time fling with a rich neighbor resulted in a child and that seemed to be enough to cleanse their bloodline, but not enough to cleanse the emotional range of their family. Marvolo, his grandfather, was prone to anger above all other emotions. Morfin, his uncle, was wicked and drew entertainment from torment. Merope was melancholy and sad most of the time she was in Tom's life which Tom suspected led to her untimely death. Tom, however, felt mostly nothing.

Mostly.

Draco could provoke an emotion or two from him, mostly annoyance or mild amusement. But Harry...

But Harry.

The more time he spent around other people who weren't the cruel children of the orphanage, the more he realized how much more there was in the world. 


	6. Chapter 6

By their second year, things had changed immensely. The school offered an option for students from abusive or unsafe homes a place to stay over the summer. It was a bare-bones staff that manned the school, and most places were closed off to prevent accidents. It was rare that students took advantage of that option. Many were lucky to have good homes or places to escape to when home life became too difficult. But some didn't. Tom was one of the few who stayed over the summer. He spent his time exploring the castle where he could, finding secrets in its expansive depths. Draco stayed as well. His parents sent him howler after howler, but ultimately, they couldn't force Draco to leave. Severus was one of the teachers who stayed at Hogwarts at almost all times. He did have a house for him to return to, but it was dull and lonely. McGonagall also stayed, as did Dumbledore. The three of them were more than enough to corral any wayward students, but most students didn't need to be watched. Draco spent most of his time in the library, Tom explored, and the only other students present busied themselves outdoors and fell asleep quickly at night. One student helped Hagrid with the various creatures found in the forest. Most of the time, they were alone. The summer residents of Hogwarts castle only saw one another at meals in the mornings and the evenings.

Draco and Tom spoke during the night, both of them struggling with sleep. They talked about many things. Friends, family, classes. Eventually, they would fade to sleep, normally in the middle of a conversation, and they would pick up their conversation on their way to breakfast in the morning. They had as much in common as they did differences. Both were able to bond over their shared intelligence; Draco learned Tom was even smarter than he led on. Neither had come from good homes and both had, in a way, rejected the ideas of their parents. After breakfast, Tom would disappear and Draco would scour the shelves of the library, looking for something new. 

As second-year rolled around, the energy in the castle sparked to life. Tom reappeared from the shadows he had been hiding in during the summer and Draco bounced with excitement at the prospect of joining the Slytherin house Quidditch team. The days seemed to move slower until the students found their way back to the halls of Hogwarts. Tom and Draco made their way down to the station to await the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. It seemed like they stood there for hours as the sun began to dip below the horizon before finally, they heard the tell-tale train horn. Both of them perked up as the train rolled to a stop and students flooded out en masse.

Among the first was Harry, his smile reaching his emerald eyes. He had grown slightly over the summer, as had his hair which seemed even more wild than normal. His glasses were situated crookedly on his face, suggesting he had just barely changed into his robes before their arrival. His eyes caught Draco's and he pushed his way forward. The pair danced awkwardly around each other for a second before both relented and collapsed into a hug. Draco offered a hug to Hermione after Harry let him go which she seemed to accept happily. The two had made their peace and he hoped to keep it that way. While Draco greeted Ron, Harry greeted Tom. The latter pair had rarely interacted, even though they knew much about one another. The five of them made their way to the carriages and up toward the school, each blabbering about something they had done over the summer. Draco chided Harry for his unkempt tie, something Hermione had chastised him earlier about, and he grinned. 

They finally split from each other when they reached the Great Hall, Harry waved to Draco and Tom as they each ventured to their respective sides of the massive room. 

Draco bounced in his seat as the fifth years lined up, waiting to be sorted once more. His father would say that everyone who was sorted into a house should stay in that house. It was a conversation he and Tom had at length over the summer. Tom had pointed out that people were rarely the same at eleven as they were at fifteen. He used Draco himself as an example, showing how much he had changed from eleven to twelve. Where would he be when he was fifteen?

Crabbe and Goyle ignored him and sat further down the table, away from him and Tom. But Draco could hardly bring himself to care. His "friends" Crabbe and Goyle were only there because their parents were friends. Maybe one day, they would learn to think for themselves as well. Who would they be if there were their own people? Idly, Draco and Tom made small bets about who would stay and who would change houses. There was nothing particularly exciting when the new sorting came, except for one Hufflepuff who switched to Gryffindor, an unusual occurrence. The night went on with the new first years sorted next. Draco briefly noted the presence of Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley clan and the only girl. She was sorted into Gryffindor alongside her brothers.

The following Monday, classes began. Draco found himself in a friendly competitive rivalry with Tom and Hermione, the three of them always striving to outdo one another, except in Defense Against the Dark Arts, where Harry beat them all. Days turned to weeks as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Tom grew closer. Tom kept his distance, something Draco more than expected, but he was warmer than the previous year. He talked more and didn't leave as or make up excuses to stay away as often. Ron was still wary of Draco, despite Harry's protestations, but he didn't mind. Maybe if he could prove himself changed to Ron, he would actually find himself a different person. 

The day before Quidditch tryouts was easily the best day of Draco's life. Tryouts for Slytherin were on a Saturday and most people were buzzing for the weekend come Friday afternoon. Some, however, seemed to be buzzing for more than just a lazy weekend. Sometime during one of their classes, Draco caught a mischievous look in Harry's glasses hidden emerald eyes. He didn't have to wait long to find out why. 

During a late lunch with a surprisingly full Great Hall, Draco suddenly felt as though a wayward owl had flown into his head. That was until he started to feel something fall down his face. He reached up and felt, feeling more surprised than in pain. When he pulled his hand away, he saw the distinct innards of a pie. Across from him, Tom looked somewhere between surprised and amused, and across the hall, Harry was looking everywhere but at Draco, feigning innocence.

"POTTER!" The name escaped his mouth before he could stop himself and he met Harry's cheeky grin.

With a wave of his wand, he sent back their nearest food item he could find, another pie, into Harry's face. It landed square on, covering his face completely. Harry pulled off his glasses, ran a hand over his face, and grinned again.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Some yelled.

All hell broke loose. 

By the time any professor found their way to the Great Hall, the whole room was covered in food contents of one form or another. Somewhere in the mix, the Ravenclaw table had made a trebuchet to launch food in every direction. The walls, the tables, the candles, the ceiling. Everything and everyone was covered. Harry, along with Fred and George, were laughing like crazy, covered in food that made them look like an edible tie-dyed mannequin. The Slytherin table was mostly devoid of people, a lot of them having cleared out when the fight started, along with a few Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. The Hufflepuff table did not empty at all, with every person who was at the table to begin with participating in the flying mess of food. 

When the first professor arrived, Lily Potter of all people, no one pointed fingers, and all shared secret glances with amongst themselves. Draco suspected she knew who started the fight, but no one said anything. It took less than two seconds to clean the Great Hall and the students filtered out before devolving into a fit of giggles. Hermione glared daggers at Harry and Draco, but that just made them both start laughing again.

* * *

Hermione thought for sure her friends would result in her expulsion. Draco and Tom both seemed to be fairly subdued, but even Draco had a mischievous streak. Harry and Ron seemed to try their best to break the rules. It was all small things; sneaking out after curfew, starting food fights, even how they wore their robes. Harry was always messy but he seemed to try his best. Ron, however, looked like he rolled out of bed and into his clothes. Hermione was the most put together out of all of them, even Tom wasn't as put together as she. She and Tom Riddle, a rather quiet Slytherin boy, had a lot in common. What irked her more was that their shared traits included accidentally goading their friends into increasingly more ridiculous tasks. 

She, Draco, and Tom competed between themselves for the better grades, and she found the other two were far more intelligent than they let on. Hermione prodded Harry and Ron to finish their classwork, but that prodding didn't extend to Draco and Tom. She enjoyed the rather intelligent conversations they would spark amongst themselves before someone inevitably started the chaos once again. Often it was Fred and George, sometimes it was Crabbe and Goyle, and sometimes it was Harry, Ron, and Draco. 

She admitted she tensed when she heard someone manically laughing down the halls. Between all of them, Peeves, and her school work, she was never bored. And that surprised her. She didn't expect to have any friends when she came to Hogwarts. She thought she would have to be alone, always striving to be seen and recognized as equal among her peers. She didn't expect Harry to seemingly declare himself her friend. She didn't expect him and Ron to be ready to fight someone for calling her a name she didn't even know was derogatory. She didn't expect to find Harry looking to her for answers. She didn't expect to suddenly find herself spending most days with Draco Malfoy who came from a renowned pure-blood family who was known for their distaste for anyone that wasn't pure-blooded. And she definitely didn't expect Tom Riddle, someone who appeared so much older than his age, to work with her on almost everything. She came from a great family, both her parents were kind and loving. What she didn't expect was to add to it at school.

Hermione focused on her studies, even beyond her year. Tom often studied with her and sometimes Draco would too. Draco loved the competition between them but what seemed to irk him the most, and even Hermione to some degree, was Harry's flair of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry would finish his assignments but beyond that rarely study unless he had to. And yet, he beat them all. It only motivated the competitive nature further. Ron eventually found his way into the competition as well. They were surprised at his ability for Transfiguration. Each began to find their niche among them. Hermione was the best at potions, Draco was surprisingly good at Charms, but Tom seemed to be a jack of all trades, finding his abilities excelled in almost all things. Together, they found themselves at the top of every class, though most of it was due to Hermione's prodding.

She loved her classes, she loved learning magic and did her best to learn as much as she could. She loved her friends and every annoying trait that came with them. Now, by her second year, she didn't feel as though she had something to prove. 


	7. Chapter 7

By their third year, Tom and Harry had become closer. By their fourth year, Harry found himself wanting to be near Tom more. They would sit together during classes, at first, professors would place them next to each other, especially Harry's mother during potions, but eventually, they sat with each other without being compelled to. Hermione and Ron typically sat with Draco, Ron between the two of them. Harry and Tom had removed themselves from the competition, which was mostly between Draco and Hermione at this point. Ron cheered them on, who he cheered depended on the day, but he rarely participated himself. Draco and Hermione would enter into long arguments that Ron watched avidly while Tom and Harry were mostly indifferent. Now and then, Tom would lean over and tell Harry his opinion on the newest argument their friends had found themselves in, and Harry would be lost in his dark eyes. They weren't exactly black, or even dark brown like Harry had thought previously. They were actually a deep blue. It reminded Harry of the depths of the lake. He had jumped into it after a dare from the twins, swimming into the depths. He had found that mermaids lived in the depths of the Black Lake, and the squid was a lot larger than anyone truly knew. But it had let him leave unharmed. 

Ron's older brothers, Fred and George, were resorted during Harry's third year, having been sorted in Slytherin their second sorting. Percy had stuck his nose up at the two of them, having always been more of a house purist than the rest of his family. Ron, however, was terrified. The twins were always coming up with more elaborate pranks over time, and being in Slytherin house might just make them worse. Draco and Ron both bemoaned the twins sorting, Draco now having to deal with them up close. Naturally, Draco had a competitive side. During their second year, he had become the Slytherin seeker. Draco was constantly in competition. Harry on the Quidditch pitch and Hermione in the classroom. Once Fred and George became Slytherins, however, his competitive nature only grew. He enlisted Ron in his competition against the twins, and whatever hard feelings were between them from Draco's slip in their first year was gone. They were unstoppable together. 

That left Harry alone with Tom most of the time during their second year. When Draco wasn't with Ron, he was with Hermione. Of course, the five of them would find time together, but it left plenty of time for Harry to get to know the reclusive Slytherin better. Tom didn't talk much, but he watched and listened. His eyes were always on Harry, every time he spoke, Tom would turn to him, listening intently. Harry talked about nothing in particular, uncomfortable with the silence between them until eventually, Tom started talking too. He talked about their classes, what he found interesting, a spell he was trying to create. He even learned more about Quidditch, so he and Harry could have a shared interest. In return, Harry would bug Hermione for advice from time to time so he could talk to Tom about what he liked. Eventually, Draco had stopped dragging Tom to games and he came of his own volition. 

During their third year, Tom and Harry were left alone more often. Draco and Ron were off competing with the twins and when they weren't doing that, Draco and Hermione were competing to see which of them was smarter. Ron sat eating a snack during most of it, watching it as if it were his favorite Quidditch teams. 

By their fourth year, however, Harry was certain it wasn't just friendship he was feeling for Tom. 

Tom had grown over the summer between their third and fourth years. Harry had always been shorter than Tom, but even with his growth spurt, he was firmly under Tom's chin. The other seemed to enjoy it as he constantly looked over Harry's head. Draco wasn't much taller than he was, but Ron was shaping up to be the tallest of them all. Tom seemed more at ease with himself as their fourth year began. His walk became more of a strut, he held his head higher. He reminded Harry of a cat, prowling around the halls of Hogwarts. A cat that seemed more than content to stay at Harry's side. 

Before winter break, during their fourth year, Tom snuck his way to Gryffindor house. He waited outside as people came and left the room waiting for Harry. Harry found him soon. Tom offered a shy smile before jerking his head. 

"Come with me," He offered his hand, "I want to show you something."

Harry completely forgot about Ron and Hermione with him. He forgot about the work he needed to do for potions. He forgot about everything but that shy smile. He nodded, following Tom without hearing Ron and Hermione behind him. They walked through the castle side by side as Tom lead him up the stairs and through corridors. He found himself glancing over at him, wondering what the other was thinking as they went, but Tom stayed quiet, walking with a purpose. Harry followed him to the seventh floor until they were in a long corridor. There was no one around. Tom held up his hands, pleading with Harry to wait. He nodded and watched as Tom began to pace, his face deep in concentration. After the third time he strolled in front of the wall, it began to change. Harry watched with fascination as the bricks began to shift, changing into a small wooden door. 

Tom stepped up to the wall and opened the door. He turned, reached out a hand toward Harry.

"Do you trust me, Harry?"

Harry felt himself smile as he reached out, grasping Tom's hand. "Yes."

Tom pulled him through the door. 

The inside looked like a small cabin. The floor, the walls, the ceiling was all wooden. A fire crackled in a fireplace and in the corner stood a tree. It was decorated in silver and gold, shining in the firelight. There was a small chair next to the tree and under it was a box. Tom looked at him shyly again, his eyes darting away.

"What is this place?"

"Do you like it?" Tom looked around at their surroundings. "It's called the Room of Requirement. It only appears when a person has real need of it."

"What did you need, Tom?" Harry looked at him. "What were you thinking of when you needed this room?"

"You."

Harry swallowed and Tom's cheeks reddened slightly. "I-" He shuffled, twisting his hands. 

"Tom." He stepped forward. The other's hands fell to his sides, his eyes finally meeting Harry's. Before either of them could say anymore, Tom's eyes caught something, and he looked up. 

Harry followed his gaze, seeing green start to descend from the ceiling.

"Mistletoe."

Tom stepped forward, cupping Harry's face between his hands, and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Harry returned the kiss, the two of them shuffling together. 

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

"Merry Christmas, Tom."

* * *

Fifth year came. Whatever nerves Harry had about sorting the first time were gone. Now, it was replaced by curiosity. His father had stayed in Gryffindor when the resorting came, but his uncles and mother had switched. His mother and Uncle Remus had both switched to Ravenclaw with his godfather, Severus. His uncle and godfather Sirius had switched to Slytherin, along with another friend of theirs Peter Pettigrew. Harry bounced on the balls of his feet as the sorting came. Fred and George had been switches. Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff seeker and longtime friend of the twins was a stay. Cedric was dating someone in Harry's year, a girl named Cho Chang who was also due to be resorted. Cho was the Ravenclaw seeker which only made the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff games more intense. 

Draco and Hermione stood on either side of Ron, the three of them in front of Harry and Tom. As they waited for their names to be called, Tom reached down and grasped Harry's hand. Harry smiled but stayed looking forward, watching the sorting.

The fifth year sorting took place before the first years, who were still outside the hall. It was quicker the second time than it was the first, as most people were easier to read at fifteen than they were at eleven. McGonagall greeted them all once again, the same scroll that was used during their first year in her hand. She explained about the switches and stays. Everyone around them, the second years, third years, fourth years, sixth years, and seven years were brimming with excitement. The professors watched them knowingly. He could see his mother, godfather, and uncle next to each other, the three of them trading glances between each other. He wondered idly if they had guessed beforehand who would switch and who would stay. McGonagall commanded complete attention as she cleared her throat, unrolling the scroll. 

One by one, names were called.

"Cho Chang." A pause.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table burst into applause and Harry sighed unhappily. Now the Hufflepuff team would be even harder to beat with both Cho and Cedric playing together. No more intense, friendly rivalry between houses, instead it would be a slaughter on the pitch.

"Hermione Granger." The hat barely touched her head.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Harry glanced at Ron, knowing he would be disappointed. Ron and Hermione had grown closer at the end of their fourth year, only to dissolve into fight after fight. 

"Daphne Greengrass."

"RAVENCLAW."

Now Harry looked at Draco. Draco and Daphne seemed to be growing closer at the end of their fourth year. Pairs were more common the higher class levels they went. Ron was paired with Hermione, Tom was paired with Harry, and Draco was almost always paired with Daphne Greengrass. They worked well together and often she calmed his more competitive side. Though sometimes she made it worse.

More names were called, but Harry only cared to listen for a few people. He wasn't surprised at who stayed. Neville and Seamus both stayed in Gryffindor house. Neville was a shy, scared boy when he first entered. He had admitted to Harry once that he was hoping to be placed in Hufflepuff instead of Gryffindor. But as time went on, he became more confident. It was Neville who often fought off Crabbe and Goyle from tormenting the first years. Crabbe and Goyle had also been stays.

"Draco Malfoy." The hat barely touched his head too.

"RAVENCLAW."

"There goes the neighborhood," Tom whispered. He was right, of course. With Draco and Hermione now in the same house, their rivalry would either become worse or be aimed at someone else. Harry didn't know which was better.

"Harry Potter." Tom squeezed his hand as he pushed his way through the few remaining fifth years. Their hands stayed touching until Harry was out of reach. 

His mother winked as he approached the stool once again. He remembered his fear during his first year. He remembered hoping his parents, and uncles, would approve of whatever house he was placed into. He was happy to be sorted into Gryffindor, his parents were both sorted into Gryffindor the first time. But the longer he stayed in the house, the less and less he had felt as though he were a Gryffindor. He was brave, he was determined almost to the point of stubbornness, but those weren't his defining characteristics. He wasn't necessarily the smartest, Draco, Hermione, and Tom filled those roles. He loyal, but that was about the extent of the traits he shared with Hufflepuff. 

Just as in his first year, he was stuck between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Gryffindor had been his home for four years. He had spent several nights in the dorms with his friends, talking and just being generally ridiculous. There was a natural comradery between them. Two of his friends had been stays. What would happen to Harry if he switched? But then he thought about Tom. Tom, who had been a recluse in his first few years at Hogwarts until he and Harry were shoved together again and again. Tom, who was so kind and sweet when it came to Harry. The look in his eyes when he looked at Harry made him feel like he was floating on a cloud. Their first kiss was just before Winter Break their fourth year. Their second was before Harry left for the summer. Tom stayed at Hogwarts at all times, only venturing out to Hogsmeade. Harry wondered if he had ever even seen the outside world since he came. If he switched, it would likely be to Slytherin, and then maybe he could show Tom more of the world.

The hat dropped onto his head and that voice echoed in his mind once again.

 _Welcome back. I see you have not changed much in your dilemma with who you are._ Harry sighed at the hat's assessment, knowing it was true. _You've spent the last four years as a Gryffindor. Perhaps seeing the other side of yourself would be beneficial._

"SLYTHERIN!"

He stepped down from the stool and glanced at his family behind the professors' table. He saw his mother slide something toward his godfather and he found himself shaking his head. They had made a bet. It seemed as though Severus had won. 

Ron threw up his arms as he moved toward the Slytherin table, his robes changing from crimson to emerald. He shrugged. Poor Ron, all his close friends were in different houses now. Tom, however, looked incredibly happy. Harry knew there was no way Tom was switching houses. He was a Slytherin in every sense, even biologically. He had confided in Harry, no one else, that his family was descended from Salazar Slytherin.

_They were sitting next to the lake, the spring air blowing past them. The tress rustled, birds sang, and there were yells of happiness coming from the forest. Ron and Draco were playing Exploding Snap near them while Hermione was reading whatever book caught her interest this time. She was likely reading material that was beyond the O.W.L. level, but she wouldn't mind. Tom sat with his legs pulled up to his chest and his arms draped over his knees. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Harry was in a similar state but he thought he didn't pull it off nearly as well as Tom did. His tie didn't sit right, his posture wasn't as dignified. Tom looked out over the lake then turned, looking at Harry._

_"I have a secret," He whispered, leaning closer conspiratorially. He pulled the locket from his shirt. Harry had seen the chain but never saw what was on it. It was beautiful. "It's been passed down through my family. Like this." He gestured to the black gem ring on his finger. "From generation to generation."_

_"What's the S?" Harry asked, refraining from reach up and touching the locket._

_"It stands for Salazar." Tom watched his face, waiting for him to understand._

_Harry's mind finally connected the dots. "As in Slytherin?"_

_"Yes," Tom answered. "Don't tell the others," He said quickly. "I don't want them to think-"_

_Harry nodded. "I promise."_

"Tom Riddle!"

He wasn't sure the hat was anywhere near his head when it called SLYTHERIN loudly into the Great Hall. Tom strolled over to Harry, sitting next to him with a grin. Harry tried to pay attention to the rest of the sorting but Tom's hand slipped under the table, finding his. He knew Tom was watching him, he was always watching him. He cared less over time. In fact, he found it endearing. 

"Ron Weasley!" 

Harry perked up. 

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He knew it. Just as Tom was everything Slytherin, Ron was everything Gryffindor. He waved at Harry from across the hall, taking his longtime seat at the Gryffindor table.

The fanfare continued as the first years were brought in, but Harry couldn't force himself to pay attention anymore. Tom brought their hands to rest on the table, but not before he raised Harry's to his lips, kissing the back of his hand. He didn't even care that the rest of the school and all the professors, including some of his family, were there. It was just Tom and his burning cheeks. 

Harry and Tom stayed next to each other for the rest of the night, even as they were being led to the Slytherin common room. It was always cold in the dungeons, it was colder in the common room. Tom stepped aside as the prefects spoke. He didn't even hear the joke that was said, but he did hear the sigh of relief around him. Eventually, the first years were dismissed and the fifth years stayed to talk with the Slytherin Head Boy. There were only two switches to Slytherin, him and Dean Thomas. He was grateful that Dean switched with him and that they both had found their way to Slytherin house. The Head Boy didn't say much to them, though Harry expected a lecture about how different his former and current houses would be. Instead, the other looked at them both before stepping up to Harry.

"Our Quidditch team captain graduated last year. We were waiting to see who we had to assign a new captain. If Draco had stayed, he would have been the captain of the Slytherin team. As it is, he will likely find his way to the Ravenclaw team as they are missing a seeker. We are missing a seeker and a captain now." He pulled the captain's pin from his pocket and offered it to Harry. "What do you say, Captain?"

Harry grinned. "Thank you."

"You'll see the rest of the team in the morning, but our last captain was a chaser, as you know." His eyes flitted to Dean. "Whenever you decide to hold tryouts, Captain, we would love some fresh faces." 

Dean and Harry grinned at each other as the Head Boy stepped over to Tom. The Head Girl had already given the other one of the newest prefects her prefect pin. The boy stopped in front of Tom and offered him the other pin, not saying anything. Tom accepted it, a smile in his eyes. Dean ventured toward the boy's dorm, seeing where he would now be calling home while at Hogwarts. Harry moved toward Tom.

"So," he began, "Prefect."

"So," Tom mimicked, "Captain."

"Do I have to call you 'sir' now?"

Tom grinned, amusement in his deep blue eyes. "Only if I can call you Captain."

"You better." Harry teased.

Tom smiled, pressing a hand to Harry's cheek before dropping it. "Come, I've already made sure your bed was next to mine."

Harry nodded, following Tom through the Slytherin common room. "Is it always this cold?"

"You'll get used to it," Tom said.

He didn't get used to it. He found himself shivering in the darkness. The dorm was mostly stone. That was the main difference. The Gryffindor dorm felt more like home than the Slytherin one. The Slytherin dorm was more intimidating, with higher ceilings. But the beds were the same, the curtains around the beds were almost the same except green instead of red. The sheets were the same way. But there was still the same furniture next to the bed, the same general decor between houses. Except for the massive painting of Salazar Slytherin over the fireplace. They had Godric Gryffindor in the Gryffindor common room. Seeing the Black Lake from the angle in the common room was strange, but it wasn't as shocking as it might have been for others. After all, he had jumped into the lake before. He did hear, though, that the giant squid liked to look in the window. How strange that must be. He stared at the top of the bed above him.

There was a shift next to him and he heard a curtain open. Bare feet moved across the floor before Harry's curtain opened and closed again. Tom looked like he was asleep on his feet as he shooed Harry over and climbed in with him.

"Your teeth chattering is keeping me awake." He shifted, keeping a distance between himself and Harry. "I thought nothing could be worse than Crabbe and Goyle's snores but you've proven me wrong."

He wasn't sure if he was meant to hear Tom's whispered, 'as always.' 

"Sorry." He whispered.

Tom shifted again, pillowing his head on his arm behind him. "Go to sleep, Harry."

"Goodnight Tom."

The other sighed contentedly. "Goodnight, Harry."

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come yell at me on [Tumblr](https://neurowriter14.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/NWriter14)


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